IMPACT OF CHANGES IN ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE ON SELECTED KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS FOR CULTURAL ORGANISATIONS

This paper assesses how the changes to organisational structure of the symphony orchestras of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation affected their ability to achieve a number of objectives between 1979 and 2002. Through the use of identified government reports and the literature on corporatisation a series of key performance indicators are developed to assess the impact of structural change on the activities of these orchestras. This study explores the cultural outcome of access for the community to classical music performances, and reviews how the financial investment is shared between government and private sources to fund these activities. Overall the results suggest that the various changes in organisational structure have not been effective in addressing cultural objectives of increasing audience attendance, performance levels or diversifying the repertoire performed. However, these changes have been more effective in attaining economic objectives of diversifying the funding base and increasing earned revenue opportunities, but not in creating cost efficiencies.